


The Greatest Good

by call_for_help



Category: Longmire (TV)
Genre: F/M, Jacob's POV, Light Angst, One Shot, Sorry Not Sorry, Unresolved Sexual Tension, co-opting other ships’ iconic moments, deja vu incoming for psych fans, season 6 AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:07:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27046960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/call_for_help/pseuds/call_for_help
Summary: In a parallel universe, Cady goes to Jacob instead of Henry for advice in the case of Catori Long and her sick student. But is advice the only reason for her visit?
Relationships: Cady Longmire/Jacob Nighthorse
Comments: 29
Kudos: 19





	The Greatest Good

He sat and listened with interest as she laid out the situation. Cady had come to his house seeking advice and now she sat across from him in the living room. She wore jeans and a light blue blouse and spoke with her hands as she presented the facts, occasionally drawing his eyes away from her face that was so full of good intentions. It wasn’t a typical case, and she’d already tried some basic mediation but now she had to decide whether to pursue legal action.

He admired the earnestness about her, always believing there was a right answer to be found. But on the Rez, as he knew all too well, difficult decisions were easy to come by. He was only surprised it took this long for her to meet her match.

“So, what do you think?” she finally asked, returning clasped hands to her lap.

“I think I’ve heard what Cady the lawyer has to say,” he replied before tilting his head a bit. “I’d like to hear what Cady the adopted Cheyenne thinks.”

Her surprise was evident for just a moment; he hadn’t so much as mentioned her acceptance into the tribe until now. He figured they’d had enough opportunities to blur the line between them without bringing their now shared family into the mix.

Nodding slightly, she started again, “Well, on one hand you have the possible death of an innocent child. On the other hand you have the rights of the tribe and its members to make decisions for themselves that have been unjustly ‘influenced’ to put it mildly, for centuries.” She raised her eyebrows slightly, as if challenging him to tell her that she was better suited to pass judgement on this particular case. “You’re the utilitarian. You tell me where the greatest good lies.”

He drummed his fingers once on the arm of the chair. “I see your grasp on moral philosophy is not quite as keen as your understanding of the law.” She did not appear to take offense to this. Perhaps the intent had only been to test his response. Her methods of interrogation were certainly subtler than her father’s. “You bring up the correct points though. It would be wrong to try to evaluate this case in a vacuum.”

“That’s why I wanted to ask for your help. Catori really seems to have the the boy’s best interest in mind but his parents are set against any kind of formal treatment.”

As he considered her predicament it struck him that, with the way the overcast light was creeping in through the windows behind him, her pale skin appeared whiter than ever. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I think you know what to do Cady, but I can understand your hesitation. In working on the Rez and involving yourself with your new family, you would do well to remember”—he let the almost permanent guard down from his face, allowing her to glimpse the sincere kindness in his eyes—“trust is not earned overnight.”

He read from her expression that he’d succeeded in recalling some memories to her mind. Despite the complications their relationship was creating, he truly appreciated having someone like Cady on his side. He‘d fully aligned himself with her when he gifted her the rifle, but was not sure she had totally come around to trusting him until the day she called after using it.

It was a troubling day for him for a couple of reasons. First, his fears that her work would inevitably put her in harm’s way proved true in a spectacularly tragic fashion. And second, his private fear that his growing attachment to her was becoming something more than a professional interest was confirmed with the strength of his relief that she had come out physically unscathed.

He studied her a moment longer, noting the furrow in her brow. “So, have I been of assistance?”

“Huh?” She snapped out of some sort of reverie. “Oh, yes, of course. I actually think… Well, I could’ve very easily made a mistake with this one. And I’ve already seen how quickly the opinion of me can change on the Rez.”

“I’m glad I could help.” He started to stand up and she immediately followed suit. He expected her to start following him once he passed the table between them but she stood rooted to the spot. Retracing his steps, he stopped in front of her, raising his eyebrows in question.

Her face tightened a bit as she seemed to dismiss an idea. “I guess you have to get back to… whatever it was you were doing.”

She must be fishing again. “I wasn’t doing anything,” he evaded, not wishing to discuss the new strategy for dealing with Malachi he had been working on when she knocked on his door. Half of a nervous smile appeared on her face. She almost seemed to like this answer more than the one she was angling for.

She bit her lip and took a step towards him, almost unprofessionally close now. Almost. “In that case…” She brought her left hand tentatively to his shoulder and he felt its warmth soak through his casual black button-up. Her clear blue eyes searched his for an objection.

He stood motionless as she stepped closer still and there was no question of her intent. His eyes said more than he wanted them to as she leaned in closer and her own slid shut.

“What are you doing?” he asked as calmly as if there had been feet between them instead of less than an inch.

“Nothing,” she replied just as calmly. She was so close now their noses were resting side by side but the all important gap remained between their lips. The little air between them grew warm with mingled breaths and he noted a touch of mint on hers. He was beginning to question her intent in visiting him at home.

“Really. Because if you’re doing what it looks like you’re doing, it’s going to be one of those things we were just talking about.” He spoke slowly, not to draw out the moment, but to ensure no sudden movement would inadvertently derail his intent to keep this from progressing any further.

“What’s that?” she replied, opening her eyes.

“A mistake.” He said it with finality. To put a stop to… whatever this was they had been trending towards, that could not possibly end well.

The flash of mischief in her eyes was unmistakable as she replied, “I agree, but that’s clearly _not_ what we’re doing.”

He would have smirked if he’d had the room. As it was he could only raise an eyebrow. “Oh? What would you say we’re doing?” He wasn’t quite as careful this time. The hair on his chin must’ve just grazed hers and he tried to suppress his satisfaction at the slight increase in the pressure of her fingertips.

The mischief had now taken up residence in her eyes. “I call it very, close, talking.” She held his gaze intently and pressed her index finger three times into his shoulder to emphasize each word.

“Ah, I see. And do you have anything else to say?”

She pursed her lips as if in thought, accidentally, or entirely intentionally as was much more likely, bringing them ever so lightly in contact with his. This tenuous connection seemed to hold every look, every word they’d never spoken, every thought he would never admit to having even if she was clearly of the same mind. This was not for them. For _him_.

If he engaged in the slightest, reached out to touch—waist, neck, moved his lips at all, it would be over. He held on to the last dregs of restraint until she finally found the words she wanted. “Mmm. No, I think I’m good.”

She stepped back, letting her hand fall from his shoulder, and he felt the loss immediately. Instead of dwelling on it, he took a step back as well, giving her space, or at least, a more comfortable amount of space, to pass by on her way out.

She didn’t look as nervous as he would have expected, almost… content, as if she’d gotten the answer she was really looking for. She took the hint and he followed her to the door.

“Cady,” he said as she stepped out, his hand on the door knob.

She turned back and waited for him to continue.

Well aware that it was not in her nature to give up easily, he knew he had to make things clear. “The greatest good lies in _learning_ from our mistakes.”

A wrinkle formed on her brow and she looked back at him with a shaky smile. “Wouldn’t that mean we have to actually make them?”

He gave her the ghost of a smile but his eyes remained firm. _She really does believe there’s a right answer for everything._

“Maybe so,” he conceded.

She looked as if she was deciding whether to test his meaning immediately or not. Eventually, she nodded slowly and, looking more hopeful now, said “See you soon, Jacob,” before turning to walk back to her car.

**Author's Note:**

> Any other psych fans out there? The original ‘very close talking’ scene popped into my head the other day and wouldn’t leave me alone until I wrote this. I hope you guys enjoy this 'remix' as much as I do :)


End file.
